Day 12 – A Year in the Bible – Genesis 34-36
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GENESIS 34 – SHOULD SHECHEM DEAL WITH OUR SISTER AS WITH AN HARLOT
In today’s reading of the Old Testament, we learn about Jacob’s encounter with God as he prepared to meet with his brother, Esau. Jacob wrestled with God throughout the night and at the end of that night, his name was changed to Israel. We read about Jacob’s reconciliation with Esau, how he settles in the land of Canaan, and how his daughter was defiled there, and how vengeance for her defilement was executed.
Dinah Defiled
And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her. – Genesis 34:1-2
The Sons of Jacob Answered Deceitfully, Every Male Circumcised
And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister: and they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us: but in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised; then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. … And the young man deferred not to do the thing. – Genesis 34:13-19
Dinah’s Brethren Slew all the Males
And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males. – Genesis 34:25
Should He (Shechem) Deal with Our Sister as with an Harlot?
And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house. And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot? – Genesis 34:30-31
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GENESIS 35 – Go Up to Bethel and Dwell There
In today’s reading in Genesis 35, God commands Jacob to go to Bethel and build an altar to Him. Jacob and his family leave Shechem and travel to Bethel, where Jacob has a vision of God, and God reaffirms Jacob’s name, now Israel. He built the altar, and God blessed him. Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin, and Israel buries her in Bethlehem. Reuben sleeps with Bilhah, one of his father’s wives, and Israel hears about it. The remaining text lists the descendants of Esau, known as Edom. These descendants of Esau became the Edomites and lived in the land of Seir. The end of the passage sets the stage for future conflicts between the Israelites and the Edomites.
Arise, Go Up to Bethel and Dwell There
And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth-el, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: and let us arise, and go up to Beth-el; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. – Genesis 35:1-3
He Built There an Altar
So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Beth-el, he and all the people that were with him. And he built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother. – Genesis 35:6-7
God Appeared Unto Jacob Again and Blessed Him
And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him. And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; and the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land. And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Beth-el. – Genesis 35:9-15
Rachel Travailed and Died as Benjamin was Born
And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin. And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Beth-lehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day. – Genesis 35:16-20
Isaac Died
And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned. And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years. And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. – Genesis 35:27-29
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GENESIS 36 – Esau is Edom
And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob. For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle. Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom. – Genesis 36:6-8
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